The Moving picture world (September 1923-October 1923)

October 27, 1923 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 757 Picture to Be Directed Fine Press Book for "Puritan Passions" in Unprecedented Way^ESStfSsSes * ^ "Puritan Passions," the Film A daring departure in motion picture direction is under way at Universal City, where Perley Poore Sheehan, famous novelist, has started work on the production of "Innocent." The story is his own, he is to direct it, and each actor in the cast will create his or her own role. Every member of the cast, so far as possible, will be a college graduate, but this does not mean that the story is "highbrow." In fact the characters are the most elemental of people; mountain folks from the hills of Alabama, none able to read or write, and capable of only the most elemental mental processes. "That is why college trained actors are needed," explains Shee han. "They have to revert to the absolute primitive for this play; we of today are so far away from the elemental that the untrained mind cannot grasp it. It takes education to play a character absolutely without it." But the plan to seek college trained actors is incidental to the plan for the production. The first thing to be done when the cast is assembled will be a reading of the play. Sheehan will read and explain the story to the cast, then each member will receive a copy of the script. Frequently in pictures the actor does not know the story; he is brought on, scene after scene, told to "look to left" or "smile," and go through the routine like automatons. Guild picturization of Percy Mackaye's "The Scarecrow." Not only is it bigger — measuring 10x15 5/8 instead of the usual 91/4x12^, but it contains an unusually large and beautiful layout of the highlight scenes of the picture. DOROTHY MACKAILL Who has the featured role in "The Next Cornel'," a forthcoming Famous Players production. Starts Work in "The Next Corner" A new face was seen at the Lasky Studios in Hollywood this week when Dorothy Mackaill started work in the featured role in the Sam Wood production of "The Next Corner," which is promised as among the exceptional offerings of Famous Players for the current season. Although this is Miss Mackaill's first visit to the coast, she appeared as "Sheila" in "His Children's Children" which has just been completed at the Long Island studios under the direction of Mr. Wood and her work was such that he selected her for the principal role in "The Next Corner." Just before leaving New York she also finished "Twenty-One," in which she appears opposite Richard Barthelmess, and previous to that appeared as the heroine in "The Fighting Blade," the big Barthelmess drama of the Cromwell era. Morris Headed to Coast to Confer with Warners ExKaiser Film for Armistice Day The W. W. Hodkinson Corporation has already received many bookings for Armistice Day showings of the two-reeler, "The Ex-Kaiser in Exile." "The Ex-Kaiser in Exile" was produced by Fred E. Hamlin, a New York newspaper man, although the film was obtained through a German nobleman, who was once, it is said, an intimate friend of the War Lord. Sam Morris, General Sales Manager of Warner Brothers, and Myer Lesser, Advertising Director of the same organization left this week for the Warner's West Coast Studios to confer with H. M. Warner on matters pertaining to future productions and general distribution. While on the Coast, Mr. Morris and Mr. Lesser will look over the coming product and fit the different productions into their general scheme. Four productions are now in the process of cutting, editing and titling. They are "Conductor 1492," starring Johnny Hines, "Tiger Rose," starring Lenore Ulric ; "Lucretia Lombard," featuring Monte Blue and Irene Rich, and "George Washington, Jr,", starring Wesley Barry. Three other productions, now facing the camera are "Beau Brummel," starring John Barrymore ; "Daddies," starring Mae Marsh, and the Ernest Lubitsch Production, "The Marriage Circle," featuring an all-star cast. Paramount Finishes "To the Ladies" James Cruze has completed the filming of "To the Ladies," his new production for Paramount. Final scenes of the picture version of the Kaufman Connolly stage comedy were photographed last week at the Lasky studio. Players featured in the picture are Edward Horton, Theodore Roberts, Helen Jerome Eddy and Louise Dresser. Pathe's "Jamestown" for Release November 4 Vitagraph Engages Two Noted Stars Two stars of international fame Tiave been engaged for "A Tale of Red Roses" the next David Smith production picturized from the novel by George Randolph Chester which will be released by Vitagraph. Dustin Farnum and Patsy Ruth Miller the latter now playing a leading role in one of Broadway's successes, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" will head the cast. Concurrent with the opening at prominent first-run theatres of "Columbus," the second of Pathe's "Chronicles of America" series being produced by the Yale University, comes an announcement from the Pathe home office to the effect that the second subject of the series, titled "Jamestown," will be released generally on November 4th. The production, adapted from "Pioneers of the Old South" written by Mary Johnston, is in four reels. "Jamestown" deals with that period of American history in which England and Spain waged bitter warfare for control of North America. A cast of prominent players enact the various roles. Dolores Cassinelli, Leslie Austin, Paul McAllister, Robert Gaillard, Harry Kendall and Leslie Stowe appear. Edwin L. Hollywood directed the production. To Pick Stories While in New York, arrangements will probably be made by Elliott Dexter and Bryant Washburn for their respective stories to follow ir, production those recently completed and which will be previewed in the metropolis. Work on both features is scheduled to begin at the Grand studio the moment the two stars and others return from the East. These pictures are all to be released by Grand-Asher. F. B. O. to Release Three Features in November "Gobs" Like Buster Keaton Buster Keaton recently completed his second feature length Metro comedy, "Hospitality." "Buster Keaton is the most popular comedian in the American navy." This was the statement made several days ago by Lieutenant J. H. Seifert, who is in charge of all the film programs shown on board Uncle Sam's men-o-war. Well Known Cast in Russell Picture The cast which surrounds William Russell in his latest William Fox production, "Alias the Might Wind," is lomposed of some of screendom's foremost character actors. Among them are Charles K. French, Maude Wayne, Donald McDonald and Wade Boteler. The Film Booking Offices announce this week three big feature releases for the month of November consisting of "The Lullaby," "The Love Pirate" and "Blow Your Own Horn." "The Lullaby," featuring Jane Novak and produced by Chester Bennett, is the most ambitious of the F. B. O. productions for the month and is released on the 11th. The story is based on a magazine publication of the same name, written by Lillian Ducey and adapted by Hope Loring and Louis D. Lighton. The second F. B. O. release for the month is the Richard Thomas production, "The Love Pirate," featuring Carmel Myers. This production is scheduled for release November 18. The third is "Blow Your Own Horn," a James Home picture featuring Warner Baxter, Ralph Lewis and Derelys Perdue. It is released on the 25th. Chaney Engaged Negotiations over an extended period have just been brought to a successful conclusion in the signing of Lon Chaney as a featured player in "The Next Corner," a forthcoming Sam Wood production for Paramount. The accomplished delineator of unusual characters has been cast in the photoplay adapted from Kate Jordan's novel with Conway Tearle and Dorothy Mackaill.